Temperatures are plunging. Icy cold winds hitting your face or the dreaded cold feet warn you to stay indoors and not mess with nature's bounty or else you will be caught with running nose.

True winter is here. But do we have to feel miserable all the time just because the shine does not shine always. We need to enjoy every aspect of nature. It is a challenge to stay healthy with all those caloric goodies tempting you like chocolate fudge or warm cocoa. Exercise seems to take a backseat with excuses like chilly weather hitting you as you step outside.

Let's see what winter has in store for us and how we can escape the negativities:

Depression blues: depression usually is the best companion of winters. It usually accompanies winters whenever it comes. The absence of sunlight often depletes energy among people and causes them to be depressed. However meeting people and throwing get-togethers at home or simply going for walks in the neighborhood park is an effective tool to keep depression at bay.

Stay warm: often winters tend to take over our body temperatures and freeze our minds too. It can be a challenge when the weather outside is so frightful.

Extreme winters can also lead to frost bites or Hypothermia, a condition of the body with low temperature. This is extremely harmful to the elders sine they are more susceptive to cold. Symptoms of this dreadful disease are confusion, sleepiness, irritability, shallow breathing, and clumsiness. So elders should take precautions fro the cold. Prevention can be done by covering up even inside the bed.

Avoid Alcohol completely especially near bedtime since it causes blood vessels of hands and face to open up and draw heat from deep parts of the body. It therefore tends to lose heat ion the long run instead of getting it which most people tend to think.

Relish hot food and drink hot liquids to raise the body temperature.

Winter is a time to enjoy and make the most of thus beautiful woolies. Protect yourself and your loved ones form the negative effects and toast up to a merely new year with flushed pink cheeks and rosy lips.